Have You Heard? It’s Not The System.

We send in one forward on the forecheck while the F2 stays back and the F3 is playing D. But it’s not the system.

We make little effort to actually out-man (2 on 1, 3 on 2) the defenders along the boards so we can recover pucks. Instead, we hang back and approach the puck if we are fortunate enough to have our often lone forechecker dig it out. But it’s not the system.

Our primary, and often exclusive, attack 5 on 5 and on the powerplay is to get the puck from low to high along the half-boards and fire from the point, despite not having lanes, despite the high pressure (pressure at the points) of the defensemen and regardless of the fact that many of the shots are getting blocked or failing to get to the net. But it’s not the system.

On transition, 2 on 2, we don’t hold and carry the puck into zone most of the time, instead opting for a dump in. But it’s not the system.

On transition, when we do actually carry the puck in, the F3 does not aggressively provide immediate support, receive the puck as the trailer, drive toward the net, nor does the D1 jump into the play late, losing the opportunity for a potentially outnumbered and then subsequently sustained attack. But it’s not the system.

Forwards rarely set up below the top of the circle and between the dots for a one timer even though the most fundamental offensive hockey tactic dictates that forcing the goaltender to move lateral offers one of the best opportunities to score goals. But it’s not the system.

We refuse to set up for this one timer on any consistent basis, instead opting for the low to high as the default, despite having shooters like Gagne, Richards, Williams, Kopitar and Stoll. But again, it’s not the system.

Zero adjustments are made to our forecheck when we are trailing in a game in an effort to activate the F3 and D1 and, late in the game if we are trailing, even the D2. 0-0, down 2-1, 3-1 or worse, Terry Murray just wants more “compete” (as apparently a noun) without unleashing the forwards and D to actually try to win the damn game. That can’t be the system.

Andrei Loktionov, a creative forward with a knack to get open and who could help our powerplay, gets no powerplay time. Instead, we have players like Trent Hunter take his spot. But, come on, it’s neither the coach nor the system.

Terry Murray continues to play Hunter, Moreau and Westgarth even though they provide no offensive upside during a time the team is badly struggling to score goals. That is not the coach nor the system.

Offense has been shut down in the NHL. Nobody is scoring more than 1 to 2 goals per game. The damn trap or 1-3-1 has been all the rage. It’s 2-1 and 1-0 final scores all the way around the league. This is the new new NHL. Philadelphia (3.58), Boston (3.31), Vancouver (3.30), Chicago (3.21), Washington (3.07), Toronto (3.07), Pittsburgh (2.96), Detroit (2.92), New York Rangers (2.92), Florida (2.85), for goodness sake, Winnipeg (2.82) and all the other teams (all 29 of them) who lead the L.A. Kings in goals per game never happened. They are just a figment of your imagination…because it’s not the system.

For Terry Murray’s tenure, offensively gifted players were relegated to third line duties to play a checking and shut-down game against the opposing team’s top lines. When those same forwards had a significant drop in offensive production as a result, he called them out for it. He wanted “more” without further explanation as to how they could possibly give more in light of their designated role. He is doing it again this season. But it’s not Terry Murray and sure as hell is not the system.

Dustin Penner, upon his trade, came to the L.A. Kings with 21 goals and 18 assists in 62 games. Within 24 hours, he became fat, lazy, and offensively unproductive. Since the trade and in 35 games combined last season and this one, he has 3 goals and 7 assists. No way that is the system.

You know what they did with the L.A. Kings. You know what they have done since leaving. But forget the past. I am sure much has changed and luck has ran out. This season, Matt Moulson has 14 goals, 7 assists and 21 points. Teddy Purcell has 5 goals, 10 assists for 15 points. Even poor Alexei Ponikarovsky who only managed 5 goals and 10 assists last season with the Kings already has 6 goals and 4 assists with the Canes. There are more. The examples continue to pile up over the years. The indisputable evidence players who do not succeed offensively here under Terry Murray thrive elsewhere must be complete coincidence. It cannot be the system.

This is the most offensive talent Terry Murray has ever had as an L.A. Kings coach. Yet, the Kings are at the bottom of the league in offense, just as they have continued to struggle to score goals throughout his tenure. How can that possibly be the system, right?

You know what makes me sick? That guys like Hammond are writing like they’re unbiased journalists. The guy is on the Kings payroll. Obviously he’s not going to put anything negative about TM out there. Then there are guys like “The Mayor” who also don’t want to say anything negative, out of fear they might lose all of their cute little interviews. Then people read those articles, and think to themselves, “Oh, maybe Terry Murray isn’t the problem after all.”

…and I thought I was pissed!
One tidbit though, and in TM’s defense; Richards have better numbers now than what he had with Phi for the same time period. Gagne too, I believe. Can’t really draw a parallel to Penner because he was on pace for his best season ever with Edm, then he got traded…he was still fat, lazy and a liability while with Edm before the trade. DL’s judgement on that one just sucked.

Jorgen, wrt to his judgment on the trade…. I personally hadn’t seen Penner play in a long time, but reading the press, clearly the Edm fans weren’t happy nor were the coaches. I mean, where there’s buzz there likely could be something to it.
How about doing your investigative work. If I’m reading that on the blogs, there must be a possibility that theres something to it.

Bobby, there is one problem only with your article………. I think you’re preaching to the already converted.

A personal sidenote: it’s nice to have this site where we can express ourselves btw. You may remember the prior interview Rich did w DL. In it (and I can’t remember the exact words), Lombardi made reference to the fact that he’d been talking with other gm’s – in any case, others clearly in the hockey world….. and according to him, everyone was complaining about not scoring enough.

The Rangers started out the season looking like they had the last two years. Hardly scoring at all. Guess what! Rangers 93 GF Kings 62 GF!! Wow, someone other than Pittsburgh, Vancouver, Chic, SJ or Detroit clearly was able to figure it out. It’s doable.

But back to the point. I was very ‘not pleased’ to read that. Who Gives a toss what the problem is that others are having? Your team was in the bottom 15% (at that time… who knew it would get worse). Never mind what others are or aren’t doing. How about concentrating on your own team!!

i posted this on hammond’s mayor’s and tfp’s ardticles about the kings scoring woes. i’m hoping i get some sort of respons ethat actually touches on the SCORING issue and not on their frustration

“This has nothing to do with their lack of production on offense. There are plenty of teams, Phi, Bos, Van, to name a few who don’t seem to be having much of a problem with the “league wide defensive strategy”. Are Boston’s top 6 that much more skilled than LA’s? But forget about the top 3 offensive teams in the league. You might say the Kings aren’t quite elite. How does a team like Min, Mon, or Stl score more goals per game than the Kings? it doesn’t make sense. If you want to blame it on the Kings shot mentality that won’t work either. Philadelphia, who supposedly plays the same offensive style as the Kings only averages 2.5 more shots per game than the Kings. Do those 2.5 shots really translate into 1.5 goals? I find that very hard to believe. Are their D-men just better shots from the point? With boy-wonder Drew Doughty on the blue line, joined by Jack Johnson, and a clearly offensively-gifted Slava Voynov how can one argue that the players haven;t been doing a good job? It just doesnt add up. That leaves one explanation. Have to fire the coach, if only to shake up the players. Terry Murray’s time is done in LA. He’s taught the young players a grea deal about defense and the home-plate mentality, but I think he has taken this team as far as they can go. As a die-hard Kings fan it pains me to say this, but I eagerly await the Kings’ inevitable losing streak, that will force Lombardi to make the move he has inexplicably delayed making.”

Don’t ever think like that. That is crazy. You are a fan. You go into each game cheering your team to victory. In 31 years, I have never booed the team nor have I failed to support them regardless of who is coaching, playing or results. You can criticize of course and discuss it but once the puck is dropped, that is your family out there.

Business is not family. Family is not business. That’s why most successful family businesses separate the two.

Because I have no ownership stake in the Kings, all I am is a fan of a business. If they aren’t performing up to expectations, I can boo all I want. That is one of the only ways to let my feelings be known.

Am I supposed to pretend things are great and cheer with all my heart when I know it is the opposite? If I know my wife is cheating on me or has lost her interest in me, am I supposed to pretend everything is alright and act the same?

Hell no.

I don’t wish the Kings ill will, but at the same time, I really don’t wish them the greatest of success either. The Kings will have a winning streak, will have a losing streak, and so on. But the problem remains: our system sucks.

We have a team that can compete on paper. It’s not there. How long have we waited for a team who at least had a chance. For what? For Murray to have no creativity? For Dean to have no balls to change what’s wrong coaching wise?

So the Kings make it to the second round. Does that mean Terry Murray keeps his job?

Please print this out, and overnight it to El Segundo requiring it to have to be signed for by DL. I continue to facepalm everytime I read DL, TM and hell, even Bernstein going to bat for TM and the system.

As a fan for 23 years, I must say that anger is slowly turning to not caring. Is DL really just trying to do TM a solid by keeping him employed????? Ugghhh.

I did. It was that article that prompted mine. I think Gann did a good job on the interviews but, again, the questions dictate the answers. If they don’t specifically address the problem but rather just talk about the system in general and scoring in general, you will get what Gann got and what anyone would get. Give me some time with Terry Murray so I can pick apart his offense and ask specific questions. More than Terry, I want to talk with Justin Williams. You want me to summarize the article? It’s not the system. Everyone is having trouble scoring. We are trying real hard to score. We’ll try harder. It’s not the system. Separately, anyone who expects the players to criticize the system or say anything other than what the players actually said is delusional, not when the coaches and management are standing there and demanding more “compete” and the coach’s job is safe and secure.

Why interview Williams over Murray? Aside from Williams’ penchant for saying things that aren’t always popular I can’t think of why you’d interview him when we all know how much you want to call TM onto the carpet, lol

I just read the article and I can see what he’s talking about but saying that a possession entry is “literally impossible” is Utter Bullshit. If you have 4 guys stationary at the blue line, yeah all you gotta do is chip it in because you’ve got speed while the defender is basically standing there. No one is that fucking stupid. Not at this level. Those 4 guys just standing there will all be royally fucked because the rushing team now has to retrieve the puck (which will not be hard to do at that point) and then take the puck to a desireable scoring area. Those 4 guys will have to turn around and then start their stride from almost a dead stop. Not gonna happen.

The guys on the blue line will Have to back off if they see the puck carrier coming with some speed because that puck carrier can easily just poke the puck in between their legs, chip it over them and then it’s just the puck carrier and the goalie. You just have to Read the play and that’s something that the Kings have a hard time doing. It’s like they’re so mechanical that they just dump that shit in almost all the time.

In last night’s game Stl vs Det, you see the guy go behind the net and the point guy’s wide open but he reads the play and rather than pass it to him he holds it and drives the net or tries to make a pass to someone weak side. The Kings will 99.99% pass it up to the point, where that guy will take a shot on net, where that will most likely get blocked and now they’re scrambling to get back on D. That’s where creativity comes into play. Read the fucking play. Vancouver is a master at this shit. Check out the game highlights against the Avs they completely demolished them.

That’s what pisses me off about TM. He’s like a whiny little bitch about it. Find a fucking way to get around it you Shithead!

Yup. Frustrating but yup. Murray probably thinks, bah, what percentage of LA fans actually know the game? Those of us who played it and lived it just shake our heads. My concern, is Lombardi buying this bullshit?

That’s funny now that you mention it because maybe that’s why TM got all hot when the fans booed them off the ice last season. He probably thought “Who the hell do these assholes think they’re booing??? These shitheads don’t even know how to do a GD crossover!”

I don’t think DL is buying any of his BS. I think DL is a relatively smart guy.

Simmonds is rocking a 5G-4A in Philly which isn’t great, but probably a fair bit better than what he had here last year at this time. And if you’ve actually watched him play you’d see he’s absolutely killing it over there.

… I’m the biggest Wayne Simmonds fan there is, I think, but even I have to say he’s not doing what I think he’s capable of doing offensively. He’s getting a lot of PP time out there. I don’t know what it is, sadly. I don’t watch the Flyers’ games

He DID look good against the Kings, but that was in the early days of the season when he shot out of the gate like a house afire. Just to be a smartass, I compared his numbers to Mike Richards’ numbers at that time. Not looking good for that type of comparison now.

This should be a reminder to not piss Bobby off. Also, if I should ever be in need of a lawyer, I know who to call.

Also, I need to check out the “Hockey 2.0″ page, but do you discuss the F1-F2-F3 etc, concept? I have a basic idea, but does that have to do with who has the puck, or is it a set thing with different players?

Just read Matsuda’s article. Honestly it didn’t say all that much to me.
TM says something about it being virtually ‘impossible’ to enter the zone under such and such circumstance. If he believes that, then I suppose thats what it’ll be.

Bobby, you haven’t commented at all on DL’s responsibility of drafting some forwards who might give the team a bit more depth whereby they wouldn’t be dependent on 3rd and 4th lines featuring players who clearly seem to be at least in TM’s system, rather limited offensively. I know Stoll has a history of scoring, but the others?

I’m just as frustrated and concerned as the next guy but if you take a step back we’re not even to the all star break yet. There’s at least another 50+ games we’ve got. Fuck the Wild and all those teams on top right now and watch them fizzle out over the course of the season.

Yes we’re dead fucking last in goals scored and that’s concerning. At this point it’s clear what they need to work on and get going. If we’re dead last with only 4 games left in the season that’s another story. Do I want TM gone? Hell yes! Is DL gonna do it? I seriously doubt it. They’ve got to hit their stride. Hopefully it’ll be soon and peak in the playoffs. Keep in mind that Gretzky started in 1988 and they didn’t reach the cup finals until 93.

As far as booing the team, I don’t see any issues with it if they’re playing like dogshit. If I could get a seat behind the bench I’d have no problems sticking my mug up to the glass and telling those fuckers to get it going.

In defense of Murray, I think there is a reason for using Loktionov on the 3rd line, or as a wing.

There are usually two things scouts, organizations see as needing improvement for prospects: skating and defense.

Skating applies to all prospects when a team evaluates any issues which need improvement. As the saying goes “You can’t teach offensive instincts, but you can teach skating:”

The system the Kings use, demands the forwards know how to play defense, in order to be a more complete player.

Almost all prospects the Kings draft, or sign as undrafted, will most likely not make the leap from juniors/college/Europe to the NHL. Kyle Clifford was one of those exceptions because he was projected to be a 3rd line wing, and was voted as being one of the top defensive forwards in the OHL. Clifford was also voted as being one of most improved and the hardest workers in the OHL.

Dean Lombardi believes in making players earn their keep by going through the minor league system before they are considered ready to play for the Kings in the NHL.

I believe Terry and Dean feel that Loktionov has the offensive talent to play in the NHL, however he needs to improve his defensive play, on the back check.

I think Murray is fast tracking Loktionov to learn his defensive responsibility playing on a 3rd line at the NHL level. While I think this is neutralizing his offensive play, at the same time this will round out his overall game.

One of the reasons why Loktionov did not start the season with the Kings was due to not being versatile. The team already has plenty of centers. Loktionov had said he was not comfortable playing on the wing, since he had always played center. Because of this he was the odd man out.

I am sure that during the off season, the Kings will ask him to work on adding this to his overall game

Mike Richards is the perfect example of a player who thrives in a Terry Murray style system. Richards is a complete player, and this shows in his play on the ice.

It’s no coincidence that Richards is always among the leaders in shorthanded goals in the NHL, and one of the best defensive forwards also.

There is no denying, the system Murray uses, believes in, does impact the teams scoring average. Right now Murray needs to figure out a solution to the anemic 5 v 5 scoring. Changing up line combinations is not the answer.

The Kings can’t keep relying on a bad power play which is back to the Jamie Kompon pass the puck around, not shooting the puck when you have the time and space. In the beginning of this season, there was more movement by the players along with some success with a backdoor setup that was working.

Now teams that play the Kings will take this recipe away, and force the Kings to try something else, which is just not working right now.

The Kings have to start admitting their defensive play isn’t very good, and has relied on their goaltending to cover for the poor play in their defensive zone.

If the coaching is no longer effective, the team continues to struggle even when Richards returns, the GM has no other choice but to make a change.

Unfortunetly, changing a coach this far into the season is not seen as being effective. The way I see it, Stevens would take over as coach, until or if Lombardi decides to hire someone new after the season ends.

I hope the Kings turn things around, and do live up to the promises they have made.

… I’d be more inclined to understand your problems with the system if the Kings were actually executing it properly. But, they’re not. They fouled up their dump-ins so often against the Ducks that I was laughing at one point. They’re out of sync. In those moments when the Kings DO happen to get it together, they’re getting robbed by great saves or shanking shots. It’s so frustrating to watch, I have to laugh so I won’t be tempted to throw my remote (or anything else in my general vicinity – the dog, for instance).

I think you’ve made a great post here, Bobby. I think this kind of post needs to be made more often; one describing the real nuts and bolts of the game that’s being played out there. I hope this will get a fan or two to watch the game more closely and understand what’s happening and to get an appreciation of it, instead of thinking “there’s no scoring this is boring when does Jersey Shore come on”.

As for the personnel on the PP, 100% agree. Murray’s deployment of his players is something I’ve forever seemed to criticize him on, and I hate how he usually seems to get killed with line matching – even at home, which is absolutely ridiculous and unforgivable. If I fired Murray, I’d fire him for his handling of personnel, first and foremost.

As for what guys have done with other teams vice here, I always look at Frolov as a guy who thrived here, and would have continued to do so if he was used right. Moulson was getting it done here in the limited time he played; I put that more on Lombardi than I do Murray. Lombardi thought he couldn’t play, just as he thought Cammalleri couldn’t play. As for Purcell, absolutely Murray is to blame, and that again goes back to mishandling personnel; not putting guys in the best positions to succeed. Ponikarovsky, same thing. He wasn’t used for offense, so he didn’t produce much of it.

Look at Bernier. Hey, look at the first response to this article, for that matter. I don’t think Bernier is the bestest goalie ever, but he’s better than THIS. If the Kings are planning to trade Bernier, they’re killing his trade value by not playing him. If they plan to keep Bernier, they’re killing his development. Maybe they’re planning on having him replace Ranford as the goalies’ coach.

These are not “system” flaws. These are “I am not handling the roster properly” flaws. Unfortunately, there’s also the fact that the team is in a funk and that they’re not getting most of the breaks. All that adds up to one thing – underachievement.

Yeah Dutch. Tell you what. That whole thing you bring up about putting people in a position to succeed. I’ve been thinking that for ages. Did a post about it on laki when Purcell was there.

I happen to do photography and work with stylists, hair and makeup, all the rest. If the team that I work for does poor work, guess what. I come out looking bad. I’m only as good as the weakest link.
I’m already concerned about the fact that in a trade they probably wouldn’t even get much for Bernier. Why? Because they’ve done a gorgeous job of putting him in positions where he’s less likely to succeed. No goal support. Plays against the Habs who the Kings never beat, and the Habs are coming off what, 4-5 consecutive losses. You know thats bound to turn.
And of course it does.
Shit, I just looked up and saw you beat me to it. Oh well, I’ll leave it in here anyway.

Here’s one more. Was watching an amazing NYR-TB game tonight. NYR up 2-1 and on the PP. Late 2nd or early 3rd per.
The goal is going over the line and who makes the play to swipe it as it’s almost over the line? Yeah, Teddy Purcell, who evidently can play both sides of the puck.

This whole thing stinks.

Oh, by the way, thanks to Purcell keeping the game close, TB scores a shortie w 2mins left to tie it, then wins in a shootout.

Also, my brother-in-law is the grandson of a HOF player. I am also a hockey memoribilia collector.

A few hints: Drafted by the New York Rangers 1953
B: Played a total of 75 games for the Rangers during his early career
C: Spent some time in the AHL mainly the Cleveland Barons
D: Was traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs
E: Won 4 Stanley Cups 2 Vezinas
F: Tried to wear a mask, but couldn’t see pucks below
G: Played in tandem with Terry Sawchuk

“Regardless of what system ‘we’ play, ‘we’ get several quality scoring chances a game. When do we say the players that get these chances must finish from time-to-time?”

… Hear hear! It’s a tough deal, though. I think the players’ hearts are in the right place, and they’re trying – at least they’re making it look that way. But they’re not finishing like they have in years past, for sure.

Yes sir! I mean no disrespect to any group (players, coaches, management…) but if we’re getting good chances every game and during the same game our d-men are having a hard time behind our net and in swoops Kopi to skate it out from behind our goal line? Sold. We’re playing winning Hockey. We’re just not winning.

You’re a funny dude. One week it is one thing, the next another. You just like arguing for the sake of it. I’m not happy the kings lost, I’m happy terry murray is one fucking step closer to being fired.

You can suck terry murrays dick all day, that’s fine. You and him can stand in the unemployment line next year holding hands and consoling eachother. “I don’t get it jt! What did I do wrong?!”
“NothingTerry. It is never your fault. Its everyone else. Damn jonathan quick. If only they played the holy antiquated system to the t, they would have won. Its not the system, its the players.”
“I know jt, I know.”

Of course not. I think we’ve deleted one comment (that wasn’t spam advertising) since we started this blog. The one we did delete was replete with excessive racism. And even then we debated over whether to ax it or not.

Of course rhetorical. You guys are my homepage for a reason. Everytime my phone or computer boots up, you are my first image/ check in. I hope to one day lavish excessive alcohol on you guys. GOD BLESS YOU, BOYS!!!!!!!

Wild 3 Kings 0. After 2. Let the sucking begin!! As I’ve stated before the Kings need to suck badly ’til Christmas for change (you know what I mean) to come. Looks like it’ll happen! Carlisle is not out of the picture yet….

… OK. You know, I’ve heard ALL THIS SHIT about how Quick is this and that and the other, how the Kings will go only as far as Quick will take them, how he’s “stolen” half of the Kings’ wins this season, et cetera.

Well, mark this down – Quick has stolen two games in a row from the jaws of victory. How many soft goals has he given up in the last two? Four, at least.

I really don’t want to hear any shit about the “system”. The Kings are out-shooting Minnesota 34-16 at 5-on-5 as I’m writing this, and their shots have been of higher quality. What more do you want? 50 shots? 80???

Maybe the Hall of Fame goalie you all never criticize needs to be called out, too. He’s being outplayed decisively by a rookie goalie in his first NHL start.

But hey – some of you WANT the Kings to lose, right? Hope you’re loving it!

High quality shots. Bullshit. 80% of them were from within (both) 10 feet of the blue line and 10 feet of the wall. These were shots that had either so many bodies in the way there was no hope of anything happening or gave the keeper such an unimpeded view that an ECHL goalie could have stopped them. Throw in the excessive and telegraphing backswing and the shots are worthless.

Quick was soft, yes. But he still got minimal goal support. On the radio on the way home they pointed out that the Kings have scored on 19 goals in his 11 losses. The dude has absolutely carried this team.

Pssh. One soft goal tonight. The 4th goal was soft. The first was not soft.

Against Anaheim he gave up one mistakey goal that was bad. 2. Not 4. The other two are goals that happen when goalies are human or unlucky.

Stolen from the jaws of victory? Are you seriously telling me the Kings deserved to win either of these two games? You are putting these all of Quick? Was Quik great? Not by a stretch. But he wasn’t piss poor awful either

AT SOME FUCKING POINT THE KINGS ARE GOING TO HAVE TO WIN WITH AN AVERAGE OR LESS THAN AVERAGE PERFORMANCE BY THE GOALIE. 2 GOALS WINS VERY FEW HOCKEY GAMES.

… The Kings missed the net with their shots 33 times today. THIRTY-THREE times. I’m sure the Terry Murray “system” calls for the Kings to miss the net as much as possible. Maybe Murray has the team practice it? Anyway, it’s all his fault, of course. Perhaps Terry’s using telekinesis to guide the puck high and/or wide. Cause, you know, he wants the team to lose games.

The Kings have directed around a hundred shots at the Minnesota net tonight. Actually, 98 shots. Please tell me the coaching staff doesn’t want the team to score goals, again. Tell me all about it.

It’s not all on the coaches, clearly not enough finishers on the roster. Which has been a problem since before Murray got here. The lack of speed is also a huge problem. The team can’t generate offense off the rush because not many players on the Kings can make an offensive play at full speed.

But it’s hard to trade 20 players, it’s easy to fire one coach.

That being said, I don’t see any changes unless it’s coming from Lieweke and if/when that happens it’s going to be a lot bigger than John Stevens replacing Terry Murray.

To blanket the Kings play in this way is unfair. You do not make allowance for styles of play used situationally in every game by every team. The style and habits of a line are going to differ according to what kind of line they are playing against, the score, time left in game, etc. Kopi against Pavelski is going to look a lot different than Kopi against Thornton. Sometimes it is okay to play more conservatively with the f3 or with dumpins, and other times a line can freewheel it more openly.
As well, although you describe tendencies and aspects of the “system” you do not discuss the actual changes that have occurred in the system this year. Some of your complaints are results of the players trying to incorporate new tactics. Brown has mentioned this specifically, so has Willie Mitchell in a pregamer with Patrick O’Neal: “We’ve had some system changes and we’re still not quite used to it, still too much thinking out there.”
The breakout is new, therefore travel thru center and breakin is affected. The Kings’ breakout used to be like most other teams’ power play breakout, with passes back and forth d-to-d to establish possession and gain space and time, then the short pass to the swooping center coming from behind with speed. The “under-pressure” safety valve was a stationary man at the high half wall, usually the weak side high half wall, and he would make the short pass to the center as the center again swopped up from down low and took the pass crossing the top of the circle.
Now the breakout is mandated more often to be a “quick-up,” and it makes me puke to remember Marc Crawfish (The Skunk) using that phrase and tactic, but that’s another nightmare. Anyway, Murray is asking for the puck to get to a forward more quickly to exit the zone, not just the center, and is also asking for the weak side d-man to join the rush through center. If you watch, you will see how often, and it is now much more often, the defenseman will end up leading the rush. It used to almost exclusively be the center; now it is any forward or a defenseman. That is a significant change, it makes for a much freer style, and is exactly what makes for more creativity. The Kings are still struggling with it, and for me that is not unexpected.
This is coaching. This is adapting to a lineup that this year has more naturally creative players, and it is obviously intended to allow for more freedom in play. But you do not mention it. Such system changes cannot be ignored; blanket condemnations ring hollow unless you recognize them and deal with them in your analysis.
Last year the Kings played best when the were a methodical possession team that attacked not with speed but with structure and forecheck. When they got into track meets, or played a balls-out up-tempo game, they lost. San Jose was handled when we dictated pace; when the Kings let San Jose play a wide-open lateral game it was the start of the 8 game funk that nearly cost us the playoffs. Chicago and Washington are other teams that had the same results; when the Kings slowed the game down, those teams were stifled. When not, the Kings got lit up. This year, Murray is asking them to adapt to a slightly more creative style whether you acknowledge or not, but of course there will still be a defensive conscience required. It is a matter of degrees, of small tweaks. No, the results are not good yet, but it is unfair to ignore solid adjustments in style that have been, and are trying to be, made.

Probably because you have never posted here before. We moderate a first post to make sure the person is not spam. After that, all is good unless you change your email address, user name or url at which time you go back to moderation because the system thinks you are a new poster and I have to designate you as approved – I have tried to fix that, but there is no way I have found to do it. You can also be sent to moderation if you have too many links because, again, the system thinks you may be spam. We get about 1000 spam posts a week that the filter fortunately catches.